Class of 2022 Commencement
Class of 2022 Commencement
Heritage University Commencement
(The following information is subject to change.)
Please join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and honor those who helped them along the way.
Saturday, May 14, 2022
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Yakima Valley Sundome
1302 S Fair Ave, Yakima, WA
Heritage University celebrated its Class of 2022 graduates with a commencement ceremony at the Yakima Valley SunDome on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Hundreds of family, friends and supporters cheered the graduates as they walked the stage to shake hands with HU President Andrew Sund and other university officials. Rep. Debra Lekanoff of the 40th Legislative District of Washington state served as commencement speaker. Ashley Whitefoot-Drickson (B.S.W., Social Work) served as the Baccalaureate Degree speaker, and Monica Neri (M.I.T., Elementary Education) served as Master’s Degree speaker. The Violet Lumley Rau Outstanding Alumni Award was presented to Courtney Hernandez who graduated from Heritage in 2018.
Click here to see pictures from commencement posted to HU social media. Click on the video thumbnail above to watch a video of commencement highlights.
Congratulations to Heritage University’s Class of 2022!
Letter from the President
September 30, 2021
As we move closer to October 30, the date we chose for the rescheduled Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 Commencement, we continue to work to build an event that both honors you and your accomplishment and provides the adequate safety measures to protect the health and wellbeing of all involved. As such, we have made some important changes to the event.
- Commencement is being moved from the Yakima SunDome to the Heritage University Toppenish campus. The ceremony will take place outside, on the Great Lawn.
- Only graduates who are walking in Commencement and individuals who have a role during the exercise, such as faculty and speakers, will be allowed on campus for the event.
- The entire ceremony will be broadcast on live television and live-streamed online so that all of your loved ones can watch and cheer for you in real time from the safety of their homes.
- All participants will need to adhere to campus safety protocols, including wearing masks and being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Those who are not vaccinated need to present a negative COVID-19 test that is no more than 72 hours old when they arrive on campus the morning of October 30 to participate. You will need to present your vaccination card or your proof of being COVID-19 negative the morning of the event when you check in.
- Seating for graduates and other participants will be spaced at least 3’ apart for safety.
We are committed to creating a graduation experience that is full of the celebratory pomp and circumstance worthy of your accomplishment. The ceremony will have most of the same elements that you would expect at Commencement. You and your fellow graduates will still walk in procession, a student representative from each class will still present their Commencement address, most importantly, you will still cross the stage to receive your diploma from the president. Grad Images will be there to get pictures of each graduate as he or she crosses the stage and again with their diploma. These images will be made available to you and your family shortly after the event.
We continue to monitor the state of our region regarding COVID-19 and will notify you immediately if there are any other changes made.
If you are planning to participate a reminder that you must register at the link above by October 20, 2021.
Until we see you on October 30, I hope that you and your loved ones remain safe and well. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Registrar at (509) 865-8505.
Sincerely and with great admiration,
Andrew C. Sund, Ph.D.
President
APPLY TO BE A COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER!
The Class of 2022 will have one undergraduate and one graduate student speaker presenting at the joint commencement exercise in May. Each speaker will have three minutes to address the audience.
Applications are being accepted digitally and need to include:
- Your name, major, graduation year, phone number and email address
- A written sample of your speech or speech outline. (Note, this does not need to be your final version. We will work with the individuals selected to finalize his/her remarks.)
- A one minute sample video of you delivering your remarks. Again, this does not need to be your final version, nor does it have to be anything fancy. A simple cell phone video will work.
To apply, send your materials by Thursday, April 14 via the form below. All materials will be reviewed by the selection committee and the individuals selected will be notified by Friday, April 29.
Graduation Celebrations
Are you graduating this year? If you, so and a guest are invited to celebrate this exciting milestone! Please join us for Heritage University’s annual Graduation Celebrations as we congratulate the 2022 graduates on all of their achievements and welcome them to the Heritage alumni family!
Registration for these events is now closed. Please call 509-865-8588 or email hughes_b@heritage.edu if you need to change your RSVP.
Toppenish Campus
Tuesday, May 10, 5:30 p.m.
Smith Family Hall, dinner included
Columbia Basin College (Tri-Cities) Campus
Wednesday, May 11, 5:30 p.m.
Columbia Basin College Courtyard, hors d’oeuvres served
GRADUATION TRADITIONS
Tassel and Hood
Tassel: Must be worn on the right front side before degrees are conferred and then transferred to the left front side after all diplomas have been awarded in the ceremony.
Hood: Graduate students do not wear their hoods before the ceremony, rather they carry their hoods over their left arm. Graduate students will be individually hooded during the commencement ceremony.
Baccalaureate Honors
Baccalaureate Honors are awarded to graduates receiving a first baccalaureate degree. The honors are based on the traditional Latin wording: “cum laude” (with honors), “magna cum laude” (with high honors), and “summa cum laude” (with highest honors). These honors are awarded to those who have completed no fewer than 60 credits at Heritage University and who have the following cumulative grade point average at the end of December 2019/December 2020 semesters:
Summa Cum Laude: 3.90 – 4.0
Magna Cum Laude: 3.60 – 3.89
Cum Laude: 3.30 – 3.59
The gold cord represents summa cum laude honors, the silver cord represents magna cum laude honors and the bronze cord represents cum laude honors. The Red, White & Blue cords represent Armed Forces Veterans.
Please be sure to bring this honor cord to the graduation ceremony.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are tickets required to attend Commencement?
No tickets are issued as Commencement is free of charge to all attendees.
Is there a charge for parking at the Sundome?
Sundome parking is free of charge for Commencement.
When is rehearsal?
TBD
Is rehearsal mandatory?
Rehearsal is not mandatory, but it is recommended to help make Commencement operate smoothly.
What time should graduates arrive at the Sundome?
It is recommended that graduates participating in Commencement arrive by 8:30 a.m. and check-in at the designated table.
Is graduation regalia (robe, tassel, etc) required to participate?
Yes, graduation regalia is mandatory for participation in the commencement ceremony. If you did not order and receive regalia, contact registrar@heritage.edu for assistance by September 15, 2021.
ALUMNI LEGACY WALK
The Alumni Legacy Walk is made up of individual bricks each engraved with the name of an alum along with his or her major and graduation year. Your brick will be placed in a collection of those bearing the names of other graduates from your class. Bricks will be installed on an ongoing basis (frequency of installation dependent on the volume of orders).
Your donation to the Heritage University Scholarship fund of just $45 will secure your spot on the Legacy Walk. You can also have a souvenir brick delivered to you for an additional $25 donation. Your gift is tax deductible, and all proceeds will be directed to the Heritage University Alumni Scholarship Fund.
Contact Us
Registrar
Phone: (509) 865-8505
registrar@heritage.edu
Registrar Staff Associate
(Transcripts and Registrations)
Phone: (509) 865-8506
Credentials Evaluator
(Transfer Credits and Graduation):
Phone: (509) 865-8609
Office Location & Hours
Student Services Bldg
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.